Washington Nationals: Ryan Zimmerman back where he belongs
The long offseason courtship between the Washington Nationals and Ryan Zimmerman finally ends with renewed vows.
Entering the off-season there was little doubt Ryan Zimmerman would be back in the fold for the Washington Nationals. The two made it official yesterday when Zimmerman inked a one year contract worth $2 million, with the opportunity to earn $3 million more in performance-based incentives.
Following their World Series win the Nationals did what they could to get the band back together for a chance at a repeat. Stephen Strasburg, Yan Gomes, Howie Kendrick, Asdrubal Cabrera, and Daniel Hudson all signed free agent contracts to return to the Nationals. However, there remained an empty feeling with Nationals fans which would only be filled by bringing back Mr. National himself.
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Zimmerman a veteran of fifth-teen Major League seasons, all with the Nationals, will be back to presumably platoon at first base with newly acquired Eric Thames. Kendrick figures to log some time at first base as well. Even though he finished the year with a World Series ring, 2019 proved to be a trying season for Zimmerman.
He battled plantar fasciitis most of the year and was limited to just 52 regular-season games. His postseason heroics though are what kept the love affair with Nationals fans active. An acrobatic, diving catch in Game 1 of the NLCS, kept an Anibal Sanchez no-hitter alive at the time, and a towering home run off Gerrit Cole in Game 1 of the World Series proved the vaunted Astros pitching staff could be compromised.
Bringing back Strasburg was imperative, though for Washington Nationals fans bringing back Zimmerman was the most anticipated. Mr. National was the first-ever draft selection of the team after relocating from Montreal in 2005 and he has been a fan favorite ever since.
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With the pressures of being a full-time player behind him, Ryan Zimmerman can settle into his platoon job at first base and hopefully ride off into the sunset a two-time World Champion.